Arnall Golden Gregory LLP's Food and Drug Newsletter is a monthly update of legal and regulatory issues that affect the FDA-regulated community, including regular updates on legislative initiatives from AGG’s Washington, DC office, and articles from members of AGG outside the Food and Drug Practice.

In this Issue

• Déjà Vu All Over Again: OPDP Sends Another Letter Regarding Website Promotion of an Investigational New Drug
• A Day Late and a Dollar Short: After Repeated Notices from FDA about its Contract Manufacturers, FDA Sends Warning Letter to Distributor for Receiving and Distributing Adulterated OTC Drugs
• A Very Fine Line — Split Decision: FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Clinical Decision Support Software
• Is it a Conventional Food, a Dietary Supplement, or a Drug?
• CMS Expands Open Payments Reporting
• Upcoming Events
• Industry Activities and Recognition

A Very Fine Line — Split Decision: FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Clinical Decision Support Software
By: Alan G. Minsk and Genevieve M. Razick  

From his 1986 “Back in the High Life” album, Steve Winwood sings, “It’s a fine line, a very fine line – split decision.” In fact, that’s what many medical device companies will face as they review the Food and Drug Administration’s recently-issued draft guidance document on “Clinical Decision Support Software” (CDS). The draft is a continuation of the agency’s efforts to define how it intends to regulate this type of software and includes recent changes to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDC Act). The 21st Century Cures Act amended the FDC Act to exclude certain software functions from the statutory definition of a device. Comments are due to FDA by December 26. More >

Is it a Conventional Food, a Dietary Supplement, or a Drug?
By: Robert Durkin  

When clients seek out legal assistance about regulatory issues concerning one of their products, frequently, the first task is to determine exactly what the product “is.” Most would assume that this determination is made by simply reviewing the product’s ingredient and basing a conclusion on the ingredient’s stated purpose. In reality, it is rarely that simple nor should it be if the client is being properly advised. More >

CMS Expands Open Payments Reporting
By: Jennifer Downs Burgar and Genevieve M. Razick 

The “National Physician Payment Transparency Program: Open Payments” requires certain manufacturers of drugs, devices and certain other products to disclose annually to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) payments or other transfers of value made to physicians or teaching hospitals. It also requires certain manufacturers and group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to disclose physician ownership or investment interests held in those entities, as well as provide information on payments or other transfers of value made to such owners or investors. The Open Payments program was designed to increase transparency and public awareness of the financial relationships between manufacturers and healthcare providers. Reports are required to be submitted annually. More >

AGG Welcomes New Lateral Partners and Of Counsels to D.C. Office
AGG is pleased to welcome to its D.C. office, new lateral partners Kevin M. Bell, Scott A.M. Chambers, Ph.D.s, Richard R. Oparil, of counsels B. Dell Chism, Caroline C. Maxwell and Carolina M. Wirth. With the addition of this team, AGG expands its depth of capabilities in the areas of intellectual property, patent litigation, patent prosecution and FDA, and positions the firm as a national player in the dietary supplements and CBD regulatory arenas. More >

Arnall Golden Gregory would like to wish you a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!